Iowa Starts Showcase Cup Thursday against Stockton

ORLANDO – The No. 2 seed Iowa Wolves start the Showcase Cup against the No. 7 seed Stockton Kings on Thursday at 12 p.m. CT on NBA TV. 

Iowa (11-3) and Stockton (10-4) are two of the eight teams vying to win the Showcase Cup Championship and a cash purse in the single elimination tournament at the NBA G League Winter Showcase presented by The General from Dec. 19-22. The Showcase Cup Championship game will be held Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2. Read more about the Showcase Cup and the Winter Showcase here.

If the Wolves win Thursday, they will play the winner of No. 3 Sioux Falls and No. 6 Capital City on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT on NBA TV in the tournament semifinals. If the Wolves lose, they will play the loser of that game on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. CT. on NBA TV.

Iowa clinched its spot in the 2024 Showcase Cup and the Central Division title with a thrilling 114-113 victory over the Motor City Cruise last Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena in front of a season-high 4,011 fans. Minnesota two-way Daishen Nix scored the deciding basket, a tough driving layup, with 7.9 seconds left in the game, and Iowa’s defense then forced a missed three-pointer and time expired before the Cruise could attempt another try. 

Timberwolves assignee Leonard Miller was Iowa’s leading scorer with 23 points to go with 10 rebounds. Miller has recorded an impressive 12 double-doubles in the team’s first 14 games this year. Nix finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. Fellow two-ways Jaylen Clark and Jesse Edwards finished with 20 and 16 points, respectively. 

El Ellis had a career night coming off the bench finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and assists, all career highs. In his season debut, Nojel Eastern had eight points and four rebounds and snagged a crucial jump ball before Nix’s game winner.

This is Iowa’s second-ever appearance in the Showcase Cup and its second Central Division title after accomplishing both in 2022.

Following their time at the Showcase Cup, the Wolves will enjoy a short break before starting the regular season portion of the G League season on Dec. 27 at the Mexico City Capitanes.